


stinn - christmas gift

by raunaballecter



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-14
Updated: 2017-11-14
Packaged: 2019-02-02 12:52:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12726975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/raunaballecter/pseuds/raunaballecter
Summary: Quinn is pregnant and it is Christmas. Steve has been mysteriously not-at-home lately. BUT WHY?





	stinn - christmas gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheBatchild](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBatchild/gifts).



Christmas Eve and Steve wasn't home yet. Quinn sighed and finished half-heartedly hanging Steve's stocking back up, now full of small gifts, hers beside it, empty. She knew Steve wouldn't let her down but a big part of Christmas for her lately was enjoying it with the people she loved. And the person she loved the most was Steve. Quinn sat down, rubbing her pregnant belly, a frown creasing her forehead.

Normally, she wouldn't be concerned by Steve's absence. After all, she understood how demanding their jobs could be, but she was positive he was not working. Lately he had been away a lot, and any time she asked him, he clammed up and told her it was a secret. Not that she assumed anything nefarious was afoot, however. She trusted Steve completely, but this was Christmas, and she was pregnant, and she missed him.

Pulling out her phone, Quinn flicked through a few messages, mostly from Silence and Mina wishing her a happy Christmas Eve and stressing about last minute Christmas worries about whether people would like their gifts. She responded to them all, but her heart wasn't really in it. She was lonely. She wanted Steve to come home. She wanted him beside her. She wanted her hormones to get back on track so she would stop being so randomly emotional about things. Lost in that train of thought, she was surprised by the vibrating of her phone in her hand - a message from Steve that read, "Sorry I'm late, I'll be home in 15 minutes." She sighed, opened the message so it showed as having been read, the closed her phone and stuck it on the coffee table. Tucking her legs up onto the couch, she curled up to take a nap and wait for Steve to get home - she was feeling too grouchy to respond to his message.

Quinn closed her eyes and quieted her thoughts so she could sleep. Immediately, to her, she felt a soft nudge on her shoulder and a soft voice calling her name. She blinked open her eyes to see Steve in front of her, a warm smile on his face. "Hey Quinn," he murmured.

"Hey," she mumbled back, her head foggy with sleep. She slowly sat up, rubbing her belly absently. As the haze cleared from her eyes, she noticed that not only was Steve's stocking full, but hers as well, and at least double the amount of presents were under the tree. Quinn frowned. How had Steve managed to get all this done on top of getting home from wherever he was in fifteen minutes? "Merry Christmas," Steve said, taking hold of one of her hands gently in his. "It's not Christmas yet," Quinn responded, but not coldly, a smirk starting to make its way onto her face.

Steve chuckled. "Yes it is."

"What?" It was nowhere near midnight when Quinn had lain down to have a nap.

Sitting down beside her, Steve replied, "You looked so peaceful when I came home, I just let you sleep. I know carrying around our child is hard work, I figured you deserved a good long rest. Plus, it gave me time to get everything ready." He waved his had vaguely towards the centre of the room, indicating the presents and the stocking and the Christmas-scented candles he had lit. Quinn even noticed a plate of cookies on a shelf near the tree.

Her heart warmed at what he had done in the time she was asleep, but that loneliness and disappointment was still gnawing at the back of her mind. "About time," she sighed, leaning into his arm.

Steve pulled her closer. "I know, I'm sorry." He kissed the top of her head and rested his head there, him taking her in and her taking him in. "I love you," he murmured into her hair.

Quinn melted into his embrace. "I love you too, Steve."

They sat that way, silently, just happy to be together, for what seemed like ages, but ages in the way that Quinn wished it would never end. In the way that she wished every moment was just this, just her and Steve and their child that was on the way. Unfortunately, life was life, and a job was a job, and so she relished the moment even more.

Eventually, Steve pulled away just enough that he could look at her face clearly. "Do you want to open just one present before bed?"

Quinn perked up. "Of course I do!" Her enthusiasm prompted a grin and a laugh from Steve, who got up and moved behind the tree to pull out a rather large present. He set it down in front of Quinn and crouched behind it, so the large box was between him and Quinn. Gesturing, he indicated for her to open the present.

"Shouldn't I guess first?" Quinn pondered.

"You can if you'd like, but I don't think you'll guess it," Steve replied, his blue eyes fixed on her.

Quinn stared at the box, taking in the dimensions. It hadn't looked heavy with Steve carrying it, but nothing looked heavy with Steve carrying it, so she couldn't trust that, and she wouldn't want to attempt to pick it up this far along in the pregnancy. She thought back, trying to think of anything she'd asked for, or implied that she wanted, that was even remotely this size. Quinn even briefly considered that Steve had disguised it somehow, but he had never done that before and she felt like he probably wouldn't start now. The only thing she could come up with was a really big coffee-maker, but they already had one of those. Sighing in frustration, she admitted she did not know and Steve once again gestured to open it.

Obliging, Quinn began pulling at the paper, unwrapping it bit by bit, revealing a large cardboard box, probably a shipping box. Overall, very nondescript. She raised her eyebrows, wondering if maybe she'd been wrong about Steve potentially disguising the gift, but he was still looking at her expectantly, so she continued opening the gift by tearing into the lid of the very-heavily-taped box.

After defeating the tape, she lifted the box open to reveal the gift inside. Before she could get a good look, Steve leaned over it, grasped whatever was inside, and pulled it out for her, setting it down again in front of the box. Quinn gasped softly. It was a small, completely wooden rocking-horse. It looked handmade. "Steve?" She could feel herself choking up. Steve moved and sat down beside her on the couch again, taking both of her hands in his. "Did you make this?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"I did," he answered, nodding slightly. "This was the secret I couldn't tell you, I wanted it to be a surprise. For you and for our baby." He reached one hand down and placed it on her belly.

Quinn's heart was so full of emotion she thought it would burst. All the late nights seemed worth it to her now, seeing this, seeing all the love and care that Steve had put into it. Love for her, love for their child. She threw her arms around Steve and started crying.

"Quinn?" Steve's voice seemed panicked, unsure what to do about the crying woman currently draped over him. "Quinn, I'm sorry, if you don't like it, I'm sure I could make something else."

Quinn shook her head and tried to pull herself together, in the back of her mind thinking that it would be wonderful when she had control of her emotions again, but not really minding right at this moment. "No, no, I love it, it's perfect. I'm just so happy. I love you so, so much Steve. You're going to be an amazing father." Quinn wiped a tear off her face and positively beamed up at Steve. "Amazing."

A blush was creeping onto Steve's face, which made Quinn laugh internally. "I'm glad. That you like it, I mean. I hope the baby likes it." He looked back down at her large belly.

"Maybe when they're a bit older," she responded with a laugh.

"Oh, I guess you're right. Not the best for a newborn, is it?"

"Not so much."

"Quinn?" he asked, cupping her chin in his hand.

"Mhm?"

"You're going to be amazing too, you know."

Quinn sucked in a breath. She wasn't always so sure, but with Steve by her side, she was almost positive she could do it. "Promise?"

"I promise." He pulled her back in close in an embrace. "Merry Christmas, Quinn."

"Merry Christmas, Steve."


End file.
